New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-27
PRINCETON'S PRESIDENCY.
WHAT ONE OF TIE TRUSTEES SAYS.

TRADITIONS IN FAVOR or PRESBYTERIAN GLEN
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES SLOANE AND PATTON.
Tho alumni Of Princeton University have not lost
sight of the serious questions which arose upon io
idont McCosh's resignation although their cohserVa
.,m has led them TO careful and quiet consideration
of the issue without bringing 1t into public prom
,nepce The recent departure for Europe Of one OF
The leading candidates, professor William NJ Sloane
~ Princeton has revived general interest In the main
.usstion "who shall be the-fsxt president of Prince
ion,n which received its first formal discussion at the
aocIa meeting Of the Princeton Club of this city, fol
lowing close upon Dr. McCosh's resignation
II will be remembered that two leading points we're
.eted by this fires ponsible body viz that the next
prcsident Of the college should be an American by
birth as well in ideas and adoption and that all
thLgs being equal. layman was quite as acceptaOic
rs a clergyman, although the traditions of the inS'i'u
ton would favor the latter. These two points have
since been taken up by various bodies oil 'le auiii
and have been heartily Endorsed.
IL is well known that the actual choice OF pres
ident will be deferred until the meeting OF the trustees
In February, al which time the special committee VIII
report on President McCOSh's resignation ana II al
yisable suggest his successor a reporter Ol HE
TRIBUNE called recently on weHkn0"h trustee
wbose wide experience has given HIM high place
In the executive council OF the Board and readily Cd
tanned his views of the succession This Is the sec
ond resignation the part of Dr. Nice osh" said he
that tine trustees have had consider during The last
few years, and feel that it is based ON SOBER ma
ture and thoughtful consideration Of the interests OF
the college and of himself 1t was STROKE OF wisdom
for the venerable president to resign While he Vac al
the full of his powers and to leave the college, as
were, Oh the crest of The wave We have net him ID
the same spr,, and OF course, white each one OF Us
fools vivid personal regret, We are convinced 'hdt
Is due TO the president accept his final eagnaIion
TRADITIONS OF THE COLLEGE.
"What Will guide the trustees In their choice Oh inc
next pIesldcn' - asked the reporter
The traditions of the college Will strongly lniu-
ence any decision There seem, to bc popular I'M
preston that tho president Of princeton mast c'oS
sari!y be a Ptcsby terrain minister This l. Lo' the
case and bearing ON this matter, let NE quo'e II
mark OF john ~ stewart, the weii-Ano"n trustee ana
banker The remark was made before several "i the
tr,,trcs after the last meeting OF the Board II Is
deliberate opinion AMI seemed TO meet the apioNai "a
every one OF lie said: Although 'hc'o - "o
charter requirement binding the trustees 10 '' oHo'o
of an ordained minister OF the ireshN terrain N"i'h d"
the president, yet there is an unblohch su0'c'o an"
an unwritten law that would control the hlS " '''
trustees, perhaIs as thoroughly "a if 1t were part o.
the organic law of ;hc college Another uAu'lloh
demanding that the president Of Princeton lono"hr
th, ratl, trod 10y the mighty Edwards, shoHId BE-
represented in the foremost rank Oh lhh"''l"'
thoncht was thus ably expressed at he same Tine ~
another tqis,cc: The prestige which has O'ch 'Ic
ated by Dr. McCoshs great cninence a. 'hihie' ana
philosopher standing second to none III MS uol'i'
mcnt should have great weight with Inc trustees J."
their selection of his successor aud however e"H'"
a man utebt lie in any special DEPARTMENT, it would
be unortuuate for Princeton 10 have 10 aloioe"c io
It's future president because he should not be capable
of taking the same leadlLg POSITION "a philosopher
CLAIMS IF INF LEADG>G CANDIDATES.
An inquiry as TO tile prominent candidates now be
fore the trustees and the alumni, elected the following
reply:
Tho Two most prominent candidates arc. as ],
we'll known. Professor Francis l. Patton "i inc 'hd'
Of Fth,cs at the college and Professor william NJ
sloane OF the chair Of History and PoH'a sc'chcc
To these must be added the names OF tie Rev III
1ob, Han. President W. c. Roberts. Of Lake FofeS'
Unvcrsltv and number Of Presbyterian ciei IN"e"
Tho Rev Dr. Richard ( stors has leen mentioned
t.vors,lv Int think that the final ci,on viii rest
hotwccu sloane and Patton. 10th are brilliant arc
both are Young and Il NAV be said that l'r' Fa'toN
comes nearer to tho realization Of the ra'i"ha' '"'"'
than any other candidate yet named lie s'a"u' me-"
O., ,ha councils OF the Presbyterian Church. ana i'
celvu 's in which srcc $50. IT, has h'"d
The Stuart proeSsOrShip o. the Relations ol l!u""'
smd science 10 the Christian Religion HIS gomez"
hrIiancy ke4nn.ss aud iuci~on Of rrnaiG mas ea',n
MN WI" s ,,rcIan yyritcr and powerful dialect
cIau' III ~ " he Is rccocrizcd A. one Of the
80 ronrlar end die,ingn.slcd Of the professors ard
his fame is condensed I'm the college po'ciO d. "'"
as Patton
ColUuBIA WOULD L'K' PROFESSOR Slow
"Prof,ssor sloane I, admirably adaIted Tor 'h'
,bair Of history and political science" boih 10y o>loS
ton and training For several years he was cohec''u
with the United state, Legation at Berlin under George
bancroft and his studies were shaped uh"cF 'h' vi
rcction Of The nlustrous historian. His collegiate
,ri,rr was received at Columbia College. I'm Germany
and at tho English universities add his talents are OF
. higb order Both he and Dr. Patton are associated
with the editorial management Of prominent period
icals-Dr Patton as associate cdltcr with Professor
Caldcrw0od. Of Edinburgh University OF Inc fifSuS
terrain Review and Professor sloane as edtoih chei
NJ. The New Princeton Review. which, under his man
agcment and direction has taken leading place among
the scholarly periodicals Of the world The irchd'
and alumni Of Princeton may rest assured mat De
tween a Patton and Sloane, the mantle Of the vel"
cradle President McCOsh VIII fall on no weak OF uh
worthy shoulders .,., g..
ouenty in connection with the vacant Latin prof ssor
shin Of Columbia College. but NJ has declined 10 be
candidate he f. not eligible 10 the presidency OF
CnIunTia ~ has brcn stated because lie is a Pres
hvtrrian I'm The Infancy Of the Institution the cor
poration Of Trinity Church made gift To the COLLEGE
OF tract of land for site. which was situated "u,'uo
OF the CITY then. at a point some hall way bolNcch
CITY Hall Park and the North River; attaching 10 me
gift the condition that the president 81 the college
should always be in communion with me Protestant
Episcopal Church. an Infringement OF when cohu-
tion would entail the forfeiture Of the grant The
property then of small Iecuniary value; but with
the growth Of the citF II has become worth perhaps
a million Of dollars. The trustees would not he likely
to fOrfca his large part OF their productive chdO"-
ment by election Of a Presbyterian 10 the prcs
dcncv II Is not necessary that the president De a
Clergyman. and neither of the three presidents I'M
mcdiatcly before President Barnard, TO Wit; Judge
Duor DR. Moore or DR.. King was IN orders.
y mr. II A {